Foldable buckle



Patented Feb. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES FOLDABLE BUCKLE Arthur H. Barrowman, Attleboro, Mass, assignor to Kestenman Bros. Mfg. 00., Providence, R. 1., a corporation of Rhode Island Application March 5, 1932. Serial No. 596,959

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a foldable buckle, and has for one of its objects to provide a buckle with both folding and sliding parts for varying the encircling size of a wrist strap or bracelet with 5 which the same may be connected.

then by means of its sliding parts further contracted to obtain the desired adjustment of size about the wrist.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a construction which will permit sliding to contract its size but which will not move outwardly to expand the buckle until the sections of the buckle are unfolded.

Another objectof this invention is the provision of a separate resilient latch on one sliding part which may engage any one of a series of catches or rack teeth to maintain the same in desired adjusted position.

Another object of this invention is the mounting of this latch by the folding over of an integral finger from the part in which it is mounted to house the latch between it and this part.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a slot in one section with rack teeth along one edge thereof,in which slot the latch on another partmay be slidable and guided therein.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a section formed by folding the stock thereof upon itself and cutting from the center a slot with rack teeth along one edge thereof and formed in both layers of stock.

with these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig.1 is a perspective view of the device with parts broken away, illustrating the working mechanism of the device.

Fig. 2 is a perspective bottom View with parts broken away showing the working mechanism of the structure.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device with the slide member extended from one section.

Fig. 4'is a perspective view of the underside of the top section in which this slide member is mounted.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the underside of the'sl ide member.

' Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the intermediate section.

Fig. 'lis a perspective view of an end section.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8'8 of Fi 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the resilient latch.

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view with one end section unfolded and showing the slide member as partially extended, the operation of the latch mechanism being exposed to View.

In the use of folding buckles, it is desirable that there be a sliding movement in the buckle to contract the encircling size of the bracelet or strap in which the buckle is mounted after being moved to folded position, and in order to accomplish this result I have provided a rack in one of the sections which I have strengthened by folding partsof the section upon itself and have provided a slide member in another section with a latch to slide along the teeth of the rack and engage any one of the teeth or catches to hold the slide member in adjusted position, movement being permitted in one direction to contract the parts but being prevented in the opposite direction until the parts are released when free sliding of the member along its section is permitted; and the following is a detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished.

With reference to the drawing, 10 designates an end channel section having a top wall 11, side walls 12 with inturned flanges 13. The other end section 14 is generally channel shaped having a bottom wall 15 and side walls 16. These sections are hinged to an intermediate section designated generally 17 which is hinged to the section 10 by means of the rolled eye portion 18 and hinged to the section 14 by means of the rolled eye portion 19. This section comprises a piece of sheet stock which is out out with a width somewhat wider than the finished section and has its edges folded inwardly as at 20 and 21 to thicken and stiffen the same and is longitudinally slotted as at 22 with rack teeth 23 formed along one edge of the slot, and in both layers of the doubled over portions which teeth are in registry one with the other.

Within the channel section 10 there is a slide member 24 provided with turned over walls 25 extending slidably beneath and guided by the side walls 12 and the inturned flanges 13. This mem ber has the body plate 26 which is cut out as at 27 to receive a lip 28 bent up from the end of the section 10, which lip limits the extending movement of the slide member by engagement with the end 29 of this slot and forming an abutment or stop. A finger 30 is cut out of the body plate 26 of this slide member and is bent over upon itself as illustrated in Fig. 5 and provided with a slot 31 into which one end 32 of a latch projects. This latch, designated generally 33, consists of a strip of spring material such as steel or the like bent upon itself as illustrated in Fig. 9 to form an eye 34. and a pawl or engaging part 35. A pin 36 extends through the eye 3% and through the finger 30 and the body plate 26 to cooperate with the slot to mount this latch in position, while leaving the engaging portion or pawl thereof extending outwardly on one side of the finger to engage the catches or rack teeth.

By this construction, when the intermediate section is in folded position between the walls of the channel section 10 the latch will engage one of the rack teeth 23 and by relative movement of the slide and the sections it may be moved inwardly to any desired contracted position, but for release and extension of this member, the sections must be unfolded to withdraw the rack teeth and the latch from engagement with each other to permit free and unhampered extension of the parts for enlarging the encircling size of the bracelet.

A finger piece 37 is on the end section 10 to assist in lifting the sections from folded position, in which position they may be held by reason of detents 38 on one end member snapping beneath the flanges 13 on the other end member when the sections are in folded position.

It will be apparent that a bracelet or other strap may be connected to the device by reason of the eye 39 on one end section and a cross bar 40 on the slide member for connecting the device in a suitable strap or bracelet for encircling the wrist.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a foldable buckle, a plurality of sections hinged together to fold one over the other, a member slidably mounted in one section, cooperating means on said member and another section to hold said member in different positions of sliding adjustment, said means including a series of catches and a latch respectively, on said other section and said member, said latch consisting of a piece of spring material folded upon itself with one part of the fold positioned to snap from one position of adjustment to another.

2. In a foldable buckle, a plurality of sections hinged together to fold one over the other, rack teeth provided on one section, a member slidable in another section, a latch on said member comprising a piece of spring stock folded upon itself and means to retain said latch in position to engage said rack teeth.

3. In a foldable buckle, a plurality of sections hinged together to fold one over the other, a member slidably mounted in one section, cooperating means on said member and another section to hold said member in difierent positions of sliding adjustment, said means including a series of catches and a latch respectively, on said other section and said member, said latch consisting of a piece of spring material folded upon itself with one part of the fold positioned to snap from one position of adjustment to another, said spring being held in position by an integral portion of the part on which it is mounted.

4. In a foldable buckle, a plurality of sections hinged together to fold one over the other, rack teeth provided on one section, a member slidable in another section, a finger cut from said member and folded back over the body thereof, and a resilient latch positioned between said finger and the g body thereof, said latch engaging said rack teeth when the sections are in folded position.

5. In a foldable buckle, a plurality of sections hinged together to fold one over the other, a member slidably mounted in one section, cooperating means on said member and another section to hold said member in different positions of sliding adjustment, said means including a series of catches and a latch respectively, on said other section and said member, said latch consisting of a piece of spring material folded upon itself with one part of the fold positioned to snap from one position of adjustment to another, said spring being held in position by an integral portion of the part on which it is mounted, turned back wardly to form a finger spaced from the body of the part and in which space the spring is mounted.

6. In a foldable buckle, a plurality of sections hinged together to fold one over the other, a member slidably mounted in one section, cooperating means on said member and another section to hold said member in different positions of sliding adjustment, said means including a series of catches and a latch respectively, on said other section and said member, said latch consisting of a piece of spring material folded upon itself with one part of the fold positioned to snap from one position of adjustment to another, said spring being held in position by an integral portion of the part on which it is mounted, turned backwardly to form a finger spaced from the body of the part and in which space the spring is mounted, and a pin extending through the finger and the body part to maintain the spring in mounted position.

'7. In a foldable buckle, a plurality of sections hinged together to fold one over the other, rack teeth provided on one section, a member slidable in another section, a finger cut from said member and folded back over the body thereof and provided with a slot and a resilient latch comprising a piece of spring stock folded upon itself and extending into said slot to assist in holding it in position to engage said rack teeth.

8. In a foldable buckle, a plurality of sections hinged together to fold one over the other, rack 120 teeth provided on one section, a member slidable in another section, a finger cut from said member and folded back over the body thereof and provided with a slot and a resilient latch comprising a piece of spring stock folded upon itself 125 and extending into said slot, and a pin extending through the fold of said stock and said finger plate to assist in holding the latch in position.

9. In a foldable buckle, a plurality of sections hinged together to fold one on the other, one 13o section being formed of sheet stock folded upon itself, rack teeth provided on said folded section in both of the sheet metal portions and in registry one with the other, and a member slidable in another of the sections and provided with a latch 135 to engage said rack teeth when the sections are in folded position.

10. In a foldable buckle, a plurality of sections hinged together to fold one on the other, one section being formed of sheet stock folded upon itself, 14;; a slot in said folded section, rack teeth provided on the edge of the slot in said folded section in both of the sheet metal portions and in registry one with the other, and a member slidable in another of the sections and provided with a latch 145 to engage said rack teeth when the sections are in folded position.

ARTHUR H. BARROWMAN. 

